Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
This invention relates to protecting movie films from being illegally duplicated, and more specifically, relates to protecting movie films from being duplicated via video camera recordings during the showing of the film.
Currently, there are video camera recordings being made and sold illegally all over the world. The people who make these recordings (referred to hereafter as pirates) do so by attending new or recently released films at the movie theater with a video camera. These pirates record the film""s presentation from the start and continue for the duration of the movie. The pirates then take the recording and make duplicate copies. These copies are then sold illegally, and end up costing the movie industry, and the investors for the specific movie films, billions of dollars.
The film industry is aware of this problem and have asked movie theaters to help in the enforcement against the pirated recordings of new and recently released movie films. The movie theaters currently use two security measures against pirates. The first security measure is to check all larger handbags for video cameras. The problem with this measure is that it leaves the ticket collector at the movie theater with the responsibility of using his or her own discretion to decide what defines a large handbag as opposed to just a big handbag. The other flaw in this measure is that with the current technologies, video cameras are currently made small enough to fit in a pant or jacket pocket. Therefore, this measure is highly ineffective against stopping pirates from getting video cameras into the movie theater.
The second security measure used is an usher. Periodically throughout the film presentation, an usher will walk through the aisles in the theater, looking for pirates. The flaw in this security measure is that since the theater is very dark during the showing of a film, the usher cannot always see well enough to identify a pirate making a recording, especially in some of the larger theaters where there are hundreds of people sitting close to one another.
The problem then still exists of preventing these pirates from making video camera recordings of new or recently released films. Both the movie theaters and the movie film industry are being greatly affected financially by the pirates and their sale of illegal copies of movie films. The past and current attempts to stop pirates from making illegal recordings have not been successful. The best current solutions can only detour pirates, and focus on preventing a pirate from getting a camera into the theater or on locating the pirate once he has begun recording. No current security measures exist that prevent a video camera from physically recording the film image being displayed on a screen.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the pirated recording problem, unlike any other current solution, by focusing on the movie film and video camera relationship, rather than the pirate and movie theater relationship, in the form of a security method and system for motion picture display (or other light image) against being recorded by video cameras.
The present invention encompasses a movie film security system displaying infrared pattern images along with movie film images such that a person viewing a screen containing the movie film images sees only the movie film images and is not able to see the infrared pattern being displayed, while a video camera aimed at the screen containing the movie film images is interfered with (made commercially unusable) in the recording of the movie image because the infrared filter in the video camera is sensitive to the infrared pattern image which interferes with the recording of the movie film images by the video camera.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an infrared pattern is generated of sufficient strength that exceeds the infrared exposure limits on any targeted video camera""s infrared filter, or for all video cameras. When a video camera is aimed at a screen to record the movie images, it also records the infrared pattern of such strength that the video camera is unable to filter the infrared pattern image from interfering with recording.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the infrared pattern image of such strength is superimposed with audiovisual presentation images (e.g., movie film images) to create new film images which obscure or create a pattern which is recorded by pirate video cameras.
Multiple xe2x80x9cstrengthxe2x80x9d options exist. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a first strength level is provided that is of sufficient strength such that the video camera recording of the new film images is totally obscured.
In other words, the strength of the infrared pattern exceeds the limits of the video camera""s infrared filter and completely obscures the recording of the audiovisual presentation images.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a second strength level of infrared is provided that is of sufficient strength such that the video camera recording of the new film images is interfered with and contains both the movie film images with a visible overlay of the superimposed infrared pattern being recorded as displayed simultaneously.
There are also many options as to the generation of the blocking infrared pattern. In one embodiment, a combined projector generates an infrared pattern and superimposes the infrared pattern with audiovisual presentation images (e.g., the projected movie) to display a combined film and infrared pattern image onto a screen. Alternatively, using two projectors, a first audiovisual presentation projector provides for displaying audiovisual presentation images onto a screen, and a second infrared projector provides for displaying an infrared pattern image simultaneously onto the screen, to create new film images containing the superimposed audiovisual presentation images and the infrared pattern images. Infrared light sources can be floodlights, lasers, and other.
The strength levels needed to bleed, saturate, or override the video camera""s infrared filters can be best set empirically by testing in the venue or theaters or by projection equipment and screen calibrations, etc. Publicly available information details infrared filter characteristics.
Various patterns of infrared can be used. Some interfere with recording (such as cross-hatch, grid cross, stipling, etc.), while others completely obscure recording (such as luminance inversion, or completely overpowering visible light projection).
In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a means to generate infrared patterns provides for interference with unauthorized video camera recordings, by displaying the infrared pattern to the human audience in a seating area, without having to superimpose the images.
In accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention, a means to generate an infrared pattern provides for interference with unauthorized video camera recording, by displaying an infrared pattern in front of the screen containing the movie film images without displaying the infrared pattern to the human audience seating area, without having to superimpose the images.